Plant & Fungal Networks

Aug 21

2 min read

Many plants form close relationships with fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi can exchange soil nutrients and water for plant-derived carbon, while other fungi decompose material, live harmlessly in tissues or cause disease. These roles depend on the species and conditions.

Photorealistic forest soil cross-section showing a tree trunk, leaf litter and small mushrooms above ground, with branching roots and fine white mycorrhizal fungal threads extending through dark, organic-rich soil below. — A cutaway view of healthy forest soil showing tree roots extending through organic-rich soil alongside fine mycorrhizal fungal threads, with leaf litter, seedlings and mushroom fruiting bodies visible on the forest floor above.

What This Index Covers

This index covers major mycorrhizal types, fungal partners, nutrient exchange, common mycorrhizal networks, decomposition, endophytes, pathogens, disturbance, restoration and research methods. It separates measured evidence from popular claims that all trees communicate or share resources in the same way.

Browse Resources

Browse the resource areas currently organised under this index. Links can be added as reviewed articles and records are published.

Mycorrhizal types - Compare arbuscular, ectomycorrhizal, orchid and ericoid associations.

Exchange and function - Review evidence for carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, water and stress responses.

Common networks - Examine when plants are linked by fungal hyphae and what experiments actually demonstrate.

Other fungal roles - Include decomposers, endophytes, lichens and pathogens without treating all fungi as beneficial.

Disturbance and recovery - Explore effects of soil movement, compaction, fertiliser, fungicides, drought and fire.

Observation and evidence - Connect fruiting bodies, root assessment, microscopy, DNA and controlled experiments.

Read First

Before using these resources for identification, growing, harvesting, conservation, community work or other practical decisions, read:

Mycorrhizal Networks: What the Evidence Does and Does Not Show

Not Every Fungus Is Beneficial or Harmful

Protect Existing Soil Before Adding Fungal Products

Coverage and Evidence

A visible mushroom does not identify the full underground organism or prove a relationship with a nearby plant. Mycorrhizal effects vary with host, fungus, soil and climate, and commercial inoculants may not contain suitable local partners. Avoid moving wild soil or fungi between sites because pests and pathogens can travel with them. Treat claims about communication, resource sharing and forest-wide networks according to the actual study design.

The Earth Resource Map and Learn library are being built progressively. Indexed means that a topic or resource can be connected to its identity, source and broad context; it does not mean that every claim has been verified or localised. Evidence is assessed claim by claim. Where information is missing, uncertain, restricted or location-dependent, that limitation should remain visible.

Last Reviewed

20 August 2026

This date records review of this index-page copy and its resource structure. Individual articles, records, laws, project details and evidence may have different publication and review dates.

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References

Bissett, A., Fitzgerald, A., Meintjes, T., Mele, P. M., Reith, F., Dennis, P. G., et al. (2019). Soil biodiversity and biogeochemical function in managed ecosystems. Soil Research, 58(1), 1-20. https://www.publish.csiro.au/sr/fulltext/sr19067

CSIRO. (2022). Untangling the deep-rooted relationship between trees and fungi to reverse dieback. https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2022/November/understanding-trees-and-fungi-to-reverse-dieback